The Death Above Harvest
by Kenshul
Summary: A fringe UNSC colony suddenly goes quiet. No one knows for sure why but Captain Veredi gets selected to find out. And the reason may just be a prelude of things to come...


_The Death Above Harvest_

_Part One_

Captain Veredi filed past several people in the bustling hallway. Something was definitely going on and he needed to know what it was. This all seemed to have started about a couple of months ago when the UNSC lost contact with one of the outlying colonies, Harvest. Ever since then there had been numerous rumors and tons of unnecessary panic. One such rumor claimed that an alien ship had been the reason for the lost contact. Another said the whole planet had been blasted to bits. Whatever the case, he was sure ONI had its reasons for not letting anything out. ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) had a reputation for its secrecy and its unwillingness to divulge any information about anything.

As Veredi neared the entrance to the ONI debriefing room his pulse quickened. While no one was ever harmed inside, everyone who entered felt like they were putting their life in delicate hands. This had appeared to be another one of ONI's scare tactics, to try and dissuade any sort of rebellious thoughts one might have. Rebels had been the biggest threat to the UNSC over the past couple years and more of them was the last thing they needed.

After nearly twenty minutes Veredi had made his way through the packed hallway and to the door that led directly to the debriefing room. As he stood before it he wondered why he was even there at all. Why would ONI want to speak to him of all people anyway? Whatever their reasons were he was about to find out. With a deep breath he stepped forward and the door slid open in response. Quickly, he stepped into the room, ignoring the door as it slid close behind him.

The room was cold, and very dark. In fact the only light he could see was a spotlight pointed directly at him, which followed him as he made his way to a chair in the middle of the room.

"Please sit down Captain Veredi," a young woman said. Veredi couldn't tell from where it came, but he sat down nonetheless.

"Tell us Captain Veredi, do you have any clue as to why we called you here?" This time the voice belonged to an older, scruffy sounding man.

"Not in the slightest sir." Veredi said hoping that he hadn't just given a wrong answer.

"And do you know anything of what happened to the colony on Harvest?" It was the scruffy gentleman again.

"No sir. I just heard some rumors, but that's all they are, just rumors." There was some whispering in the crowd. Veredi tried to make out from where they were coming from, but the walls seemed to reflect any noise and prevented him from finding their source.

"Well let's fill you in then shall we?" Another woman spoke up, but it didn't sound like the first one at all, almost as if it was a fair older. "On February third the station on Harvest reported a large object on the outer edge of the system. They reported that the object had suddenly changed course and was heading towards them before the communication link was abruptly terminated."

"Is there any clue as to what the object is?" Veredi knew instantly that he had just interrupted a superior officer, which could be a serious offense. He sat back and hoped that they would dismiss the action.

"None at all captain. Because the object changed its course then we can assume that it's not any sort of stellar matter. In fact it could be our first contact with an extraterrestrial race."

"An extraterrestrial race?" Veredi broke in once more. Many had thought the idea as nothing more than fiction, but Veredi was not one of them. In fact the prospect intrigued him.

"Yes captain, it is very possible. We had to make sure though so we dispatched the scout ship Argo to investigate the matter. On April twentieth the Argo reported that it had just exited Slipstream Space and entered the system. After this initial message there was no further contact with the Argo. We can only assume that this object, whatever it is, has incapacitated the colony as well as the Argo."

Veredi sat back in shock. How could something take out an entire planet? Whatever it was must have an unfathomable arsenal. "Excuse me sir, but what does this have to do with me?" Before he even asked he had an idea of what the response would be.

A third woman spoke out from the darkness. "You are being sent to Harvest in your ship, the Heracles. We are also dispatching the frigates Vostok and Arabia along with you..." The voice trailed off and several whispers could be heard from all around.

"What are my orders?" Veredi asked, hoping to break through the raucous.

Suddenly there was silence and the scruffy man spoke. "You will be given command over the battle group. Your orders are to try and make friendly contact with the object. If this fails, you have permission to use deadly force to take it down." The glow from a lit cigarette quickly came into view, probably from the same man.

"Very well. Is there anything else before I depart?"

"Good luck Veredi. Looks to us like you're going to need it."

Without a second thought Veredi stood up and saluted the shadows. He spun on his heel and proceeded to the exit. When he reached the door he hesitated and nearly looked back into the shadows. Instead he just stepped through the opened door and walked out.

As Veredi walked onto the bridge he finally felt at ease. The Heracles was an impressive ship, with an impressive crew. Since its construction nearly five years before, they had charted several new systems and taken down several rebel factions. Their reputation seemed to be growing by the day. Hell at this rate they may have an honor to match that of Admiral Stanforth's ship, the Leviathan.

_'Enough daydreaming there Veredi'_, he thought to himself, time for some checks before we leave. "Lieutenant Jameson, what's our weapon status?" he quickly asked.

The young lieutenant looked over his panel for a moment before he answered. "All forty Archer missile pod launchers are loaded and ready. We have three HAVOK nuclear devices and the MAC gun is ready to begin charge on your command."

"Looks like the UNSC expect us to get in a fight. Very good lieutenant," he turned and gave a brief nod of approval to Jameson. "Lieutenant Arland what's the status of our reactor?"

"The reactor is currently in theta-cycle sir," she coolly said. "It will be another five minutes until propulsion comes on-line."

"Very well lieutenant. Zeus, what's the status of the Vostok and Arabia?"

A small holographic image of a figure appeared on top of a pedestal near the navigational station. He was draped in a cloak and surrounded by bolts of lightning. "The Arabia reports that they are ready to depart on your command. The Vostok's reactor is also in theta-cycle, and will be ready approximately two minutes and seven seconds after we are."

He paused in his thoughts a moment and took a look around the ship's command center. The crew seemed very calm, almost too calm. Veredi knew that their state had come at the price of a lie, a horrible lie forced upon them by ONI. They had been very clear with their orders, the mission was to be as buttoned down as possible until any and all information about what was in the Harvest system had been gathered.

Though ONI had given Veredi all of the files pertaining to what was known he was only allowed to share them with his tactical officer, Lieutenant Jameson, before they arrived in system. Something which he planned on doing the first chance he got.

"Reactors are now on-line, sir." Arland said, interrupting the captain's thoughts.

"Very good. Ensign Cochezki, take us to the edge of the system at half cruise speed. Once we arrive coordinate with the other two vessels before we perform a simultaneous jump into Slipstream Space."

"Aye sir. Leaving space dock... and jumping to half cruise speed now." A loud hum started as the engines were brought to life. They could hear a loud mechanical creak coming from outside of the ship as the station's scaffolding retracted from around them. After they had cleared the station the engines glowed brighter for a moment as they jumped to half cruise speed.

As they approached the jump point the crew seemed to get a little nervous. Once they jumped into Slipstream Space they would have to be in cryo-sleep for the next two months until they arrived at Harvest. No one with half a sane mind enjoyed being shut in those frozen coffins for months at a time with only the ship's fragile AI to keep you alive.

"Arriving at the designated coordinates sir."

"Very well, Cochezki. Zeus, tie our navigational systems with the ones of the Vostok and Arabia. Once that's done set course for the Harvest system and jump into Slipstream Space."

The small hologram nodded his head before a blink of light covered him and disappeared. A brief pause ensued before there were two more blinks on the command center's main screen, signaling that the other vessels were ready to disembark. Motes of blue light appeared and formed into an oval that opened before the three ships, inviting them into its depths. Slowly they entered until they were completely enveloped in the realm and the gateway closed behind them, sealing them in.

As the opening sealed the crew grew just a little more nervous. With the entry point sealed it signified a point of no turning back. They all knew that their lives had been fully committed to this mission, whatever mission that was.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen you know the drill. Begin automation sequence and shut down all unnecessary systems. Once that's done head for the cryo-bay."

After receiving their orders most of the personnel filed off the bridge. The rest quickly punched in various codes acknowledging that they wished for their systems to go into automated mode. Once this was accomplished they exited as well.

"Lieutenant Jameson, I'd like you to stay a moment before you leave." During the crew's shuffling Captain Veredi hadn't moved at all from his chair, also known as the 'hot seat'.

Jameson hesitantly stood next to the tactical console, wondering if the reason he was staying was good or bad. Veredi rarely talked to anyone alone and even though the two were friends, Jameson couldn't help but still feel a little on edge.

Veredi looked at him for a moment wondering how he should start. Finally he gave a slight wave of his hand ushering Jameson to come over. "Lieutenant, how much do you know about the mission we are on?" As he spoke Veredi locked his gaze on a small computer disk.

"Only that we are going to the Harvest system, sir." Jameson got a very worried look on his face.

"And what have you heard about what has recently been taking place their?"

"A couple of months ago contact was lost with the colony on Harvest. The scout Argo was dispatched to investigate."

"And that's all?"

Jameson hesitated for a moment, reviewing his thoughts. "Yes sir, that's all."

Veredi looked up from the disk to his officer's face. There was an expression of worry he had never seen before. "Well it is assumed that whatever Harvest made contact with destroyed the colony and the Argo. Our mission is to try and make contact with it, and destroy it if necessary."

Jameson took a slight gulp before speaking again. "But sir, if it destroyed an entire colony what chance do we have against it?"

The worried expression that Jameson had came across Veredi's face. "I don't know lieutenant, let's just hope that we can solve this problem without starting a war."

_Part Two_

All he could see was a brilliant light as the other ships exploded around him. Suddenly, a shadow appeared on the bridge. With ease it knocked over Cochezki, killing him instantly. Veredi watched in horror as Jameson tried to shoot it with his pistol before he too fell in death. The image made a dash for the captain and all he could do was stand there and pray for mercy...

A dull red light appeared before Veredi as he began to choke on the slime that was forced into his lungs before entering cryo-sleep. He quickly tapped a green button to his side, which released the stasis unit's main latch and opened. As he climbed out he puked up the clear, stringy material and grabbed a pair of pants that had been placed next to his unit. "Zeus, what's our status?" Veredi asked as he slowly put his pants on.

"We will be arriving in the Harvest system in twenty three minutes, sir."

"Very well. Wake the rest of the crew and tell them to head to their designated posts after they get some coffee in their system."

"Sir, must I remind you how coffee can be bad for humans and how the amount of caffeine provided in that drink can have unwarranted affects?"

"Just relay the message Zeus." Veredi sighed for a moment. He hated how proper and strict the AI's were.

"Aye aye sir." came Zeus's voice over the ship's intercom.

Veredi calmly sipped some hot coffee as he read over the status report that Zeus had provided him. The two months the crew had spent in cryo-sleep had been a routine one. Not surprising at all. Very little ever happened when traveling in Slipstream Space. Every now and then ships ran into a comet or other stray stellar fragment, no one knew how they ended up there, but never anything the AI couldn't handle.

A noise diverted the captain's attention and he looked up to see Cochezki and Jameson walking in. They had been talking about something, but had abruptly stopped upon entering the room. Moments later Arland walked in. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and a hairbrush in the other. After she sat down at her station she began to try and tame her wild blonde hair.

"What's our ETA Zeus?" Veredi asked after a long glance at Arland. The holographic image blinked into existence once more on the pedestal. "We will be arriving in the Harvest system in four minutes, sir."

"Before we arrive coordinate with the other ships' AIs. I want to proceed with standard first contact protocols the moment we arrive in system. If they don't work then be prepared for a possible engagement with the object."

"Understood sir." The hologram blinked and the AI was gone.

"Object sir?" Cochezki spun around in his chair and was looking directly at Veredi with concerned eyes. "What are we expecting to find out here?"

"All I know is that there is an object located in the Harvest system and because of it we have lost contact with the colony and the scout Argo who was sent to investigate. Beyond that is anyone's guess." The two exchanged looks for a moment, Veredi's reassuring as Cochezki lookedd for a sign that there was more.

After Cochezki realized that there wasn't he turned around and fixed his attention back to his control panel. "Preparing to jump to normal space."

In a flash of blue and white brilliance a gateway opened between Slipstream Space and normal space. Stars appeared before them as they slowly exited the strange realm. Far off in the distance a large planet looking object could be seen with some sort of huge mass in its orbit.

"Arland, scan every inch of Harvest's surface. I want to know exactly what has happened here, pronto."

"Yes sir!" She said briskly before turning her attention to the planet and the readouts she was given about it. After a few minutes a look of horror washed across her face as she silently read over the report.

Veredi, whose attention had been focused on Arland since giving the order, saw the look of horror on her face and knew the situation was grim. "Report lieutenant."

"All life on the planet has been destroyed sir. The tropical paradise has been turned into a desert wasteland and the crust has been superheated, turning it into a giant ball of glass."

The captain's eyes grew wide in shock as the lieutenant's harsh words cut through him. There were over three million colonists living on Harvest and now they were all gone, destroyed on the whim of whatever was in orbit. That's no object; it's the hand of Armageddon itself.

"Get a hold of yourself Veredi," he quietly said to himself. Whether they destroyed the colony or not there were still strict protocols to follow in this matter.

"As soon as we're in range send a standard greeting to the object in Harvest's orbit." The three ships slowly crept up towards the two objects in the distance. To look at it one would think it to be some small creatures quietly sneaking up on a larger one, trying to not awaken it.

They were within a couple hundred meters of the object before sending the signal. After transmitting it they sat there very still, waiting for a response. Time slowed to a crawl and the stars themselves seemed to pause in their endless twinkling to see what was about to take place. Veredi and the rest of the bridge crew had nearly collapsed from boredom when Cochezki spoke up.

"Sir, we're receiving a signal from the object...in English."

"English?" Veredi asked in confusion. Cochezki nodded slowly but not quite sure of it himself. "Put it through then lieutenant."

There was nothing but static for a moment followed by a sharp, hissing sound. Finally the message came through clearly enough for them to understand it. "Your destruction is the will of the Gods...and we are their instrument."

"Not exactly a warm welcome," Veredi thought aloud. "Alright, Arland, prepare to send a second message clearly explaining our peaceful intent them. Jameson, while she's doing that I want you to remove the safeties on all Archer missiles and prepare to launch them on my command. Cochezki, tell the captains of the other two vessels to stand by and prepare to engage the object if things get hot."

"Aye sir!" they said in unison. The crew of the Heracles was a fine tuned machine that had not been stopped anything in their path before. Hopefully, this would be no different.

"Message sent." Arland replied.

"Now, we wait for a response." Veredi leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee, hoping that whatever, or whoever, had sent that message would be reasonable.

Another pause ensued and more waiting came. The only sound that could be heard was the slight humming of the computers around them that kept busy while everything else became so still.

"Sir! What is that?" Arland asked, breaking the steady silence. Everyone turned their attention to the viewscreen and what it showed. Several blue lights gathered at a section of the alien object. As more gathered the light became increasingly bigger and brighter.

"Could that be some form of communication?" Cochezki asked in awe.

"I'm not sure," was all the captain could spit out.

They soon received their answer as the light turned into a bolt of electricity which tore through space before hitting the Arabia. In a quick flash several more red-hot bolts were sent on their deadly mission. They splashed across the helpless freighter, twisting and melting its hull until there was nothing left but a glowing hulk.

Everyone's eyes grew wide in horror as the carnage took place. "Fire missile tubes A through F at the object!" Veredi shouted as his fist began to shake in anger.

The two UNSC ships broke off and left the wreck of their sister ship behind. With the destruction of their ally they fired a barrage of missiles with little or no prejudice at the object which had attacked without warning.

Reacting to the oncoming missiles the object opened fire with a kind of pulse laser that shot at the approaching death. Amidst the chaos several missiles made it through the alien weapon fire and found their target.

Captain Veredi sat up in his chair and watched the missiles impact the alien object...or at least he thought they impacted. As the blossoms of fire died he could see a shimmering silver coating around the object. After the fire had been extinguished the coating faded and revealed an unscathed enemy.

His mind quickly raced through the possible options at his disposal. Only one weapon might be able to break that shield and he knew it. "Jameson, begin charging the MAC gun and let me know when it's ready to fire. In the meantime launch all Archer missile tubes G through K."

The object fired another round of its pulse lasers and the two human vessels were forced to weave around them. Most of the shots flew past and disappeared in the blackness of space behind them. Several though impacted along the sides of the craft, ripping off fragments of the meter thick armor plating. The volley of missiles fired by the Vostok and Heracles struck the attacker with deadly aim, but were once again denied deliverance to their enemy by the silver shield.

"MAC gun is fully charged sir!" Jameson said after only a few short minutes wait.

"Get a lock on the object and fire at will!" Veredi shouted over the blaring of various damage alarms. There was a brief pause in the action before the entire ship shuddered like a small earthquake as the gun fired. On the screen they could see the two white-hot projectiles speed off towards doomsday. As if challenging the will of the incoming onslaught the object stood its ground, daring them to strike where they may.

Both projectiles hit the object on its starboard side and huge plumes of fire and smoke rose from the impact, blotting out the view of the menacing object.

"Take that!" Cochezki shouted out with a pleased look on his face. All Veredi could do was wonder why the thing had attacked them, and say a silent prayer for the crew of the fallen Arabia.

Slowly the smoke cleared and things became visible once again. As more of the thick gray smoke dissipated a silvery shine came into view. The daunting object sat there with little more then minor scrapes where the MAC rounds had hit. It just sat there, mocking them, waiting to see what else they had up their sleeve.

"How is this possible? How could they still be in one piece?" Fright washed over Arland's eyes as she spoke with the unbridled fright that you'd only see in the movies.

"What do we do now sir?" came the shaky voice of the tactical officer.

Veredi sat there for a moment in silence, half shaken with disbelief, half hoping for a miracle. Even as he wished for it he knew there would be no miracle for them, not today. "Activate thrusters and turn us around. Prepare to jump into Slipstream Space as soon as we get far enough away from the object. We're retreating."

The three bridge officers all stared at the captain for a moment then at each other, hoping this had been some sort of nightmare. As the orders began to sink in the crew silently tapped on their respective consoles and prepared to leave the destruction behind.

While en route to leaving the object suddenly moved, turning so that its weapons were facing the fleeing ships. It acted as though it was some child who was enjoying the battle and didn't want its playmates to go home just yet. Several blue lights started to collect on it until they got as bright as possible. In a flash it fired another bolt of hot electricity towards them, striking the engines of the small frigate Vostok. In a brilliant explosion the engines ignited and the wounded vessel began to spin out of control.

Seconds later three more bolts splashed across the ship's plating, boiling it away and exposing the inside to the vacuum of space. In several spots atmosphere shot out like steam from a broken pipe. A series of the alien pulse lasers launched into space and impacted everywhere along the Vostok's broken and beaten hull until the ship shuddered and blew apart with a bright and deadly glow.

Several more shots were sent at the Heracles. Only a few of them hit their target as a circle of blue light opened and the bruised ship fled into the gateway. The ship's cameras continued to show the lifeless planet and its killer until the blue gateway closed, sealing the awful image away in some other realm. Veredi exhaled slightly, glad to be away from the object, and mortified at losing their two sister ships. The crew all sank back in their chairs, just as relieved as their captain. A cold silence was present in the air until Jameson opened his mouth in question.

"Captain," he said with a mix of fear and sadness in his eyes, "What should we do now?"

The captain looked back at him with concerned eyes then took a look around the smashed bridge. "The only thing we can do lieutenant, go home and report this to our superiors, and remember those lost at the hands of that villainous creation. That, and pray there's a way to stop it."


End file.
